Swimming with Wild Dolphins in Hurghada — Dolphin House Trips Explained

Few things on a Red Sea holiday compare with a pod of wild dolphins gliding beneath you. From Hurghada, the classic way to try is a boat trip to the reef known as Dolphin House, a sheltered lagoon where spinner dolphins often come to rest. Here is what the day involves, and how to enjoy it in a way that is good for the dolphins too.

What Dolphin House is

Dolphin House is a horseshoe-shaped reef south of Hurghada, reached by boat in about one and a half to two hours from the marina. Its calm, protected water is a natural resting place for spinner dolphins, which hunt at night in the open sea and come into quiet lagoons during the day. They are completely wild: no one feeds them and nothing keeps them there.

How the day works

• Morning pickup from your hotel and transfer to the marina.
• The boat ride out to the reef, usually with breakfast or drinks on board.
• Dolphin time. When the dolphins are there, the crew lets small groups into the water with masks, snorkels and fins, close to the boat.
• Snorkelling stops on a coral reef, often one or two, with colourful fish whatever the dolphins decide.
• Lunch on board and the ride back, arriving in the late afternoon.

Will you see dolphins?

On most days, yes, but never guaranteed. Dolphins are wild and move where they choose. Good operators are honest about this and keep the day worthwhile with reef stops. Calmer mornings and the quieter seasons tend to be better, and a smaller boat that arrives early helps.

Swim with them, not after them

Spinner dolphins come to the lagoon to rest, so how people behave matters.

• Never touch, chase or feed them. Let them come to you.
• Stay calm and quiet in the water. Splashing and diving down after them drives them away.
• Keep to small groups with a guide, and follow the crew's instructions.
• Choose an operator that respects the rules, limits time with the dolphins and does not crowd them with several boats.

If a pod swims off, that is their choice. The reef will still be beautiful.

Who it suits

Confident swimmers and snorkellers get the most from the day. Non-swimmers can usually watch from the deck, and life jackets are available. It is a long day at sea, so it is better for older children than for toddlers. If anyone is prone to seasickness, take a tablet before you leave the marina.

What to bring

• Swimwear, a towel and a change of clothes
• Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses
• A light jacket for the ride back
• An underwater camera if you have one
• Cash for drinks, tips and photos sold on board

Book your dolphin day

Compare the best-rated dolphin trips from Hurghada, with real reviews and free cancellation on most. Prefer to see the reef first? Read our Giftun Islands guide.

Photos: Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 4.0); Diego Delso (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.